The Captain and The Soldier - Helping Hand
by Miarka
Summary: Part of my Stucky drabbles collection. I've been meaning to publish for months. Steve tries to convince the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D. to let Bucky out from custody. Please read and review. Enjoy.


"Just because he's your boyfriend now Steve doesn't excuse the fact the he was previously a master assassin."

Maria Hill could speak with a voice that chilled like ice when she wanted too, and now seemed a good time to get serious, with extra emphasis on the 'boyfriend' part because she knew Steve would hate it.

Sure enough he did and glared back at her, an expression met with equal anger on her part.

"He's not the winter soldier anymore." Steve growled in a low voice.

"For God's sakes, Steve." She muttered, breaking the staring contest game and glancing out the window in exasperation. "He's changed his name, that won't change him overnight."

Steve was quiet for a long time, for so long that Hill began to wonder if he'd slipped quietly out of her office. But when she turned around she found Steve still rooted to the same spot in front of her desk, now with eyes cast to the floor.

"I know it's still in him." Steve said in a small voice and raised his head. "I know he'll never be the same, I accept that, but I'm gonna do my best to make him better, no matter what. And you poking around at him isn't gonna make things better, that's why I need you to leave him be."

"Steve, I'm sorry." Hill replied, her voice going a little softer as she turned away from the window and walked to stand on the other side of her desk to Steve. "But he's a dangerous criminal, wanted for countless reasons, and I can't let him out into the world without fully knowing what he's capable of. Standard enemy procedure means he must go through all the tests."

"Enough with the damn tests already." Steve said, exasperated himself now. He sighed and turned his head, staring into a corner of Hill's office. "Maria, please?" He begged taking a step forward so they were as close as they could be with the desk between them. "Call it a favour. Don't you owe me?"

Now it was Hill's turn to sigh. Damn it Rodgers, he'd got her there. She knew all too well how he'd been tracking down Bucky for months before he showed up, yet he still came back to SHIELD, if she asked him too. It wasn't that he liked it, that he liked being Captain America and showing up to save the day, it was that Steve was a good guy. He knew how precarious SHIELD was right now and Hill knew she could rely on Steve to come back if he was called, even in she herself didn't like calling him, they simply had no other options.

"Rough day?" Steve asked as Hill sat herself in her chair and rubbed her forehead.

She glanced a small smile up at him. She knew all too well how he was playing this game; he knew all her days were hard right now; it was just a distraction from the real conversation.

"The worst." She lied in return, deciding to play along.

"You regret coming back?" He asked softly, his good guy smile and caring voice oozing out of him as usual.

She shook her head. "Nah, I couldn't have spent another minute with Stark making bad jokes and patronising me." She told him, and then added softly. "Besides, Nick trusted me to take over where he left off."

A silence fell between them in the room, not an uncomfortable silence, more one of reflection.

"I'll have records forged that Barns went through all of the tests." Hill said finally in a professional voice and straightened up. "It's take a few strings to pull but I can do it."

Steve just stared at her in disbelief. In this time Hill pulled out her tablet and started typing away with it on her desk.

"I'll put him under your supervision for a year, you have jurisdiction to do this as a SHEILD agent. Failure to keep him in control under your supervision will result in him being put into lockdown at a secure facility, and need I mention consequences for you too. We'll review his progress one year from his realise and evaluate if he's still a threat to society. If he is, it's further treatment in lockdown, if he's not, then god help us he gets an all clear and is allowed to go his way in the world, provided will still monitor him from a distance." Hill said neatly before standing up. "Simply put, you're his babysitter for a year. Make sure he stays out of trouble."

Steve produced the biggest grin Hill thought she'd ever seen on him, maybe on anyone else ever in fact. "I can't thank you enough, Maria."

"Don't thank me just yet. This is over making us evens; you owe me big time for this one now." She answered in a stern voice though she couldn't help but let a smile creep in, the joy of the Captain right now was infectious.

"I'll take the price." He said with a smile.

* * *

><p>"Steve." Bucky gave a desperate gasp and bolted up from the corner of the cell he'd been hunched over in as Steve walked him to collect him.<p>

Steve opened his arms to his best friend and the gesture was gratefully accepted.

"Come on now." Steve mumbled as he held the other man tight. "It's time for us to go home."

Bucky pulled back, staring in disbelief. "I don't have a home." He muttered.

"You're gonna live with me now." Steve answered, putting on a smile for him.

"They let you do that?" He asked.

"Sure did." Said Steve. "Unless you'd like to stay here."

Bucky shook his head violently, he didn't like it here. Steve had assured him that these were good people, SHIELD were the good guys he'd said. But he couldn't believe him, not when they put him on a hospital bed and agents in white uniform checked out everything they could find about his physical and mental ability. His arm alone they'd spent hours studying, and then spent even longer on his mind. Bucky felt sick, angry and exhausted just thinking about it.

"Good." Steve said quietly. He drew one arm around Bucky, that felt right, and guided him towards the door. Then he stopped, leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead, that felt even more right. "Let's go home."


End file.
